"The pride of the country" says the Minister of Culture -

28 May 2025

On Monday May 26th, the foundation stone for SKREI was put down in the new building the Otholith. The assignment was carried out by Minister of Culture and Equality Lubna Jaffery, who called SKREI “the pride of the whole country”.

It was a festive day for the approximately 50 invited guests and staff at the Lofoten Museum, Espolin Gallery and Lofoten Aquarium. When SKREI opens to the public in 2026, the new attraction consists of these three visitor sites as well as the new building “Otolitten”. SKREI will convey old and new stories about the fish, the people and society. The centre will be a boost for Norwegian coastal culture, and a place where the past and future meet in important stories about living with the sea.

Children’s choir sang Torskevisa

The event was opened by the mayor of Vågan municipality, Vidar Thom Benjaminsen.

He also had the pleasure of introducing the fantastic cultural element that Kabelvåg school’s 1st and 2nd graders provided. With fresh courage and great enthusiasm, they performed “Torskevisa” in a masterful way, to the great delight of the audience.

The children charmed and impressed with their performance of “Cod Song”. Photo: Kjell Ove Storvik/Museum Nord

The foundation stone is laid

Then the journey went into the building site and down to the basement of the new building.

Director of Museum Nord, Geir Are Johansen, began by talking about why SKREI is being built, and why it is built here, on historic ground in Storvågan. Right here, where Northern Norway’s first town emerged, on the basis of the trade in stockfish.

Museum director Geir Are Johansen talks about Storvågan’s historical significance. Photo: Kjell Ove Storvik/Museum Nord

The Minister of Culture and Equality was clearly happy to be present. She quoted from “Nordland’s Trumpet”, among other things. “Today it is appropriate to pay tribute to Nordland, the people and the cod. It is appropriate today when the foundation stone of the region’s and the country’s new pride is laid”.

The minister expressed great enthusiasm and joy that the story of the cod will have a fantastic new dissemination arena and take its rightful place in the history of Norway. “SKREI will be the new pride of the region and the whole country,” she said.

It almost felt like history was rattling in the walls, because of the echo from the big room. Photo: Kjell Ove Storvik/Museum Nord

Nordland County Council through the County Council for Culture, Arne Ivar Mikalsen, Head of Tourism in Lofoten, Line Samuelsen, Chairman of the Board of SKREI Eiendom, Jonas Tetlie, Chairman of the Board of Museum Nord, Søren Fredrik Voie and from LPO Architects by Margrethe Friis also gave speeches.

Samuelsen emphasized the importance of history now having a dignified place, being available all year round and being told in a way that both locals and visitors can understand and enjoy. Tetlie emphasized the value of the building itself creating important assignments for local and regional companies. Mikalsen stated that Nordland County Council is very pleased that SKREI is underway and on schedule. Chairman of the board of Museum Nord, Søren Fredrik Voie, expressed pride that SKREI and Museum Nord, together with the other parties involved, are able to give history this fantastic promise. Architect Margrethe Friis from LPO Arkitekter took us into the architects’ inspiration and interpretation of the building, both in function and location.

County Councillor for Culture, Arne Ivar Mikalsen, Head of Tourism in Lofoten, Line Samuelsen and architect Margrethe Friis from LPO Arkitekter all gave speeches. Photo: Kjell Ove Storvik/Museum Nord

The foundation stone

The foundation stone itself consisted of a box with contents. Each of the objects has a symbolism that together reflects the larger story SKREI will tell, about how we live off and with the sea.

Minister of Culture and Equality Lubna Jaffery lays the foundation stone. The foundation stone is cast into the floor. “Sleep well” she said, as she put the box down on the floor.

The foundation stone consists of a metal box with a small, hand-knitted cushion made of locally produced sheep’s wool. This symbolizes all the preparations that went into each man standing in the boat, a traditional craft carried out by women’s hands. On the pillow is an otolith from this year’s cod season and a fish hook from our own time. The otolith is the fish’s ear stone and journey recorder. From an otolith, a lot of information can be extracted about the cod’s migration patterns, nutrition and environmental influences. The foundation stone of SKREI is an artefact from our time that points both forward and backward, and which contains a juxtaposition of history, tradition and ecology.

These objects are now cast into eternity, under the basement floor of the Otolith. Photo: Kjell Ove Storvik/Museum Nord.

We are grateful

The event was rounded off at Galleri Espolin with a short presentation of SKREI, cake and coffee. Museum Nord, Vågan municipality and Skrei Eiendom, who together invited to the laying of the foundation stone, thank everyone present for a very pleasant and memorable moment. We are grateful and happy for all the good words that were shared about SKREI!

We would especially like to thank the Minister of Culture and Equality, who together with her entourage came to Lofoten to honour SKREI.

The mayors of Vågan, Vestvågøy, Flakstad and Moskenes were all present. Here together with the Minister of Culture, the County Councillor for Culture and representatives from Museum Nord and Skrei Eiendom.